Fuel tank leak out of warranty fix?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Fuel tank leak out of warranty fix?
Looks like my E55 finally has the fuel tank leak issue. I normally fill the car up when I park it for an extended period of time so next time I take it out I got a full tank. Never smelled any fuel, the car started running rough whenever you gave it more than 1/4 throttle and the next day didn't want to start, just sat there cranking. Pulled the back seat off and checked the tops of the fuel tank, found that the passenger side electrical connector was filled with fuel and probably shorted out the relay and the fuse.
The replacement for the leaking plastic piece is $500+ but seems kind of silly to replace two working fuel pumps, a sending unit and a filter when everything is in working because some plastic is leaking. Has anybody successfully fixed the leak with a sealant? If so what kind is safe for fuel?
The replacement for the leaking plastic piece is $500+ but seems kind of silly to replace two working fuel pumps, a sending unit and a filter when everything is in working because some plastic is leaking. Has anybody successfully fixed the leak with a sealant? If so what kind is safe for fuel?
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Really a great job by Mercedes here, it's like they designed the fuel system to fail, lack of a replacement fuel filter is confirmation. It's obviously a cascading failure, fuel filter gets clogged, pump have to work harder and draw more current and end up burning out wires, connectors, relays and fuses. The burned out connectors melted the plastic housing causing a fuel leak from the top of the tank. Luckily my car didn't catch on fire, this was certainly a possibility as there was fuel and ignition source there.
I can't help and be disappointed by Mercedes engineering, this is on the level of negligence and these cars should have been recalled a long time ago.
Last edited by Fantomas; 11-10-2019 at 06:06 PM.
#4
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'99 and '05 E55 AMG
OP, the E55 used cutting edge technology in its day 17 years ago and you're complaining it doesn't meet your expectations because failures are occurring almost two decades later? Deal with it. Who would have ever guessed plastics get brittle with age?
Face it, if you own an E55 AMG, expect to spend ~$1000 on the fuel system every 60,000 miles. If you can't accept that, sell the car and purchase whatever floats your boat. Tough love, bro. Embrace the suck or bail out of the game. I accepted the challenge and have multiple posts on how to address this issue with minimal (minimal, not no) pain. But it still costs $1000 every 60,000 miles.
FWIW, Creative Steel sells a replacement fuel filter for $55 but that does not address the advancing brittleness of the plastics in the car. You place your bets, you take your chances.
Quit complaining, repair your car, and get out and drive it and enjoy it!
Face it, if you own an E55 AMG, expect to spend ~$1000 on the fuel system every 60,000 miles. If you can't accept that, sell the car and purchase whatever floats your boat. Tough love, bro. Embrace the suck or bail out of the game. I accepted the challenge and have multiple posts on how to address this issue with minimal (minimal, not no) pain. But it still costs $1000 every 60,000 miles.
FWIW, Creative Steel sells a replacement fuel filter for $55 but that does not address the advancing brittleness of the plastics in the car. You place your bets, you take your chances.
Quit complaining, repair your car, and get out and drive it and enjoy it!
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
OP, the E55 used cutting edge technology in its day 17 years ago and you're complaining it doesn't meet your expectations because failures are occurring almost two decades later? Deal with it. Who would have ever guessed plastics get brittle with age?
Face it, if you own an E55 AMG, expect to spend ~$1000 on the fuel system every 60,000 miles. If you can't accept that, sell the car and purchase whatever floats your boat. Tough love, bro. Embrace the suck or bail out of the game. I accepted the challenge and have multiple posts on how to address this issue with minimal (minimal, not no) pain. But it still costs $1000 every 60,000 miles.
FWIW, Creative Steel sells a replacement fuel filter for $55 but that does not address the advancing brittleness of the plastics in the car. You place your bets, you take your chances.
Quit complaining, repair your car, and get out and drive it and enjoy it!
Face it, if you own an E55 AMG, expect to spend ~$1000 on the fuel system every 60,000 miles. If you can't accept that, sell the car and purchase whatever floats your boat. Tough love, bro. Embrace the suck or bail out of the game. I accepted the challenge and have multiple posts on how to address this issue with minimal (minimal, not no) pain. But it still costs $1000 every 60,000 miles.
FWIW, Creative Steel sells a replacement fuel filter for $55 but that does not address the advancing brittleness of the plastics in the car. You place your bets, you take your chances.
Quit complaining, repair your car, and get out and drive it and enjoy it!
Face it, you and I drive a car that one day will leave us stranded and may burn down because of cut corners not cutting edge technology.
#6
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Its not the best design but checking your fuel pressure regularly and changing your fuel filter as preventative maintenance will avoid both fire and leaving you stranded. Unfortunately most people coming into these cars in the last few years will have to deal with this expense often without prior knowledge (research).
#7
Senior Member
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Genuine...QAAOSwjp9dcBUw
395.00 Next time you can just do the paper element
If you're able and willing to modify the old style pumps to the new sender, pumps can be had for 169.00
Since you only need the hat's, you could really cheap out and find some used ones on fleabay and then just change out the paper element.
You can always go aftermarket...
Good Luck in what ever you decide
395.00 Next time you can just do the paper element
If you're able and willing to modify the old style pumps to the new sender, pumps can be had for 169.00
https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Electric-Assembly-Mercedes-Benz-2003-2005/dp/B07DNQ9J8Q/ref=sr_1_3?_encoding=UTF8&pf_rd_i=B004CGLA2U&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=d235545f-f19b-4498-980c-0fcb35dc026d&pf_rd_r=EG9G6VM4FXXZFK3YQ7ES&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_t=1601&qid=1572536675&s=automotive&sr=1-3&vehicle=2004-63-834-20--1-6-7-7424-2207-1-1-1721--1&vehicleId=1&vehicleName=2004+Mercedes-Benz+E55+AMG#HLCXComparisonWidget_feature_div
Since you only need the hat's, you could really cheap out and find some used ones on fleabay and then just change out the paper element.
You can always go aftermarket...
Good Luck in what ever you decide
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#9
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#10
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I recently had this issue on my 2005. I emailed Mercedes Canada and explained the issue. They fixed it for free. This was in August. Email Mercedes and see what they can do for you.
#11
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2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
Also I think before the warranty kicked in a few years ago, some people mentioned fixing the leaking by just using some RTV sealant, probably have to search the regular W211 forum for it.
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Its not the best design but checking your fuel pressure regularly and changing your fuel filter as preventative maintenance will avoid both fire and leaving you stranded. Unfortunately most people coming into these cars in the last few years will have to deal with this expense often without prior knowledge (research).
The wiring is undersized for the potential sustained current draw by both pumps, the 30amp fuse is oversized for the circuit and leads to heating of the weak connectors used, the connectors in turn melt the plastic of the top hat, while submersed if fuel mind you, creating a fuel leak at the melted connector of the top hat. If you're lucky like me, your fuse blows and you investigate why instead of replacing it and continue to run the car. Continuing to run the car with this issue results in the car catching fire beneath the rear seat, above the fuel tank. A 30 amp circuit calls for 10 gauge wiring for short runs, Mercedes decided 16 gauge will do instead, along with connectors barely suitable to trigger a relay much less leave submerged in fuel while carrying 30 amps of current.
Last edited by Fantomas; 11-12-2019 at 03:02 PM.
#13
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Thread Starter
#14
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Thread Starter
BTW, here's my fix for this:
1) drill out the top of the fuel sender and replace plastic fuel line fitting with brass fitting. There is no aftermarket sender, OEM is $500+ and you need an adapter cable on top of that.
2) replace the fuel filter with creative steel one or find an alternative.
3) bought an ebay/china replacement pump set for $130, going to use only the top hat, leaving OEM pumps and floats.
4) replace weak electrical connectors with bolted on/soldered on connectors.
1) drill out the top of the fuel sender and replace plastic fuel line fitting with brass fitting. There is no aftermarket sender, OEM is $500+ and you need an adapter cable on top of that.
2) replace the fuel filter with creative steel one or find an alternative.
3) bought an ebay/china replacement pump set for $130, going to use only the top hat, leaving OEM pumps and floats.
4) replace weak electrical connectors with bolted on/soldered on connectors.
#15
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'99 and '05 E55 AMG
BTW, here's my fix for this:
1) drill out the top of the fuel sender and replace plastic fuel line fitting with brass fitting. There is no aftermarket sender, OEM is $500+ and you need an adapter cable on top of that.
2) replace the fuel filter with creative steel one or find an alternative.
3) bought an ebay/china replacement pump set for $130, going to use only the top hat, leaving OEM pumps and floats.
4) replace weak electrical connectors with bolted on/soldered on connectors.
1) drill out the top of the fuel sender and replace plastic fuel line fitting with brass fitting. There is no aftermarket sender, OEM is $500+ and you need an adapter cable on top of that.
2) replace the fuel filter with creative steel one or find an alternative.
3) bought an ebay/china replacement pump set for $130, going to use only the top hat, leaving OEM pumps and floats.
4) replace weak electrical connectors with bolted on/soldered on connectors.
2. Febi Bilstein 39831. See: https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...p-replace.html
3. --
4. Replace the stock 40-amp relay with a 70-amp relay with larger power connectors. The larger relay runs cooler and removes a weak link in the circuit.
Useful information:
-The power wires from the fuse to the relay and then to the pumps are 4 mm square (falls between a 12 and 10 gauge AWG). That's a standard DIN size rated for 30 amps. At joint Z7/24, the single 4 mm square changes to dual 2.5 mm square wires (one wire per fuel pump) and rated ~20 amps.
-The wire from F82 (rear pre-fuse block) to the the fuse is 6 mm square.
-Power wire to the relay solenoid is 1.5 mm square. The other wire from the solenoid to the open collector in the SAM is only 0.5 mm square. Don't ask me why the engineer picked the different sizes.
-Yearly pull the 30-amp fuse and check the blades for corrosion; I pulled mine and the blades looked pretty bad. I have photos of the fuse in my post on E55 fuel pump relay and fuse maintenance.
-Last replacement each new pump measured at ~13 amps *each*. As the filter clogs, the amperage increases but the single relay generally melts before the fuse blows. 2006 model year went to dual relays to address this issue. I measure the amperage draw every oil change and can literally track the changes in amperage as the filter does its thing removing particulates.
-I also use carbon conductive paste on any of the bladed connections.
-Be sure to install a piece of adhesive backed foam ~1" square and 1/8" to 1/4" thick on the underside of the metal lid over the fuel pumps. That way, in case the wires overheat and the insulation melts/deteriorates (as seen in multiple photos) you reduce the risk of a dead short from the harness to the metal lid.
Take photos and let us know how it works out.
Last edited by bbirdwell; 11-12-2019 at 04:26 PM.
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Fantomas (11-12-2019)
#16
Member
Up here in Canada we never got the warranty extension for the fuel issue, so it's great that they fixed free of charge. I've also heard of a E500 wagon that had the SBC pump replaced for free due to the buzzing noise and vibration complaint (we never got the SBC warranty either). Don't know why Mercedes decided to do that for free, but never hurts to ask. Or maybe MBUSA is more strict with out of warranty cases due to the fact that you guys had a warranty?
#17
Senior Member
BTW, here's my fix for this:
1) car drill out the top of the fuel sender and replace plastic fuel line fitting with brass fitting. There is no aftermarket sender, OEM is $500+ and you need an adapter cable on top of that.
2) replace the fuel filter with creative steel one or find an alternative.
3) bought an ebay/china replacement pump set for $130, going to use only the top hat, leaving OEM pumps and floats.
4) replace weak electrical connectors with bolted on/soldered on connectors.
1) car drill out the top of the fuel sender and replace plastic fuel line fitting with brass fitting. There is no aftermarket sender, OEM is $500+ and you need an adapter cable on top of that.
2) replace the fuel filter with creative steel one or find an alternative.
3) bought an ebay/china replacement pump set for $130, going to use only the top hat, leaving OEM pumps and floats.
4) replace weak electrical connectors with bolted on/soldered on connectors.
Another option is to get a set of DavesmeanE’s billet hat’s. That is what I would have done. But I had already pulled the trigger on the OEM’s 😭
#18
Super Member
Does anybody know whether W211 E63s suffer from the same problem, or was it only E55? If they do, how can I get my dealer to replace it before it actually fails? If I say something like I smell gas would that work?
#19
Member
Up here in Canada we never got the warranty extension for the fuel issue, so it's great that they fixed free of charge. I've also heard of a E500 wagon that had the SBC pump replaced for free due to the buzzing noise and vibration complaint (we never got the SBC warranty either). Don't know why Mercedes decided to do that for free, but never hurts to ask. Or maybe MBUSA is more strict with out of warranty cases due to the fact that you guys had a warranty?
#20
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I believe it's all W211's. But you can have the dealer check. You would have to take the back seat off and pour a little gas on top of the fuel tank as that's how they usually diagnose it. If you just say you smell gas, they're probably just going to say no problem found and charge you for diagnosis.
#21
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That's great news Can you PM me some more info (so we don't derail/clog the thread)? I'm at the mileage where the original pump should be nearing the end of its life...
#22
man, I read this thread a few days ago and though "glad mine doesn't have this issue".
Today I filled up and....fuel smell... ****!! I called the dealer and confirmed that I still have warranty till March 2021,
Today I filled up and....fuel smell... ****!! I called the dealer and confirmed that I still have warranty till March 2021,
#23
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Just go to your local mercedes dealership. aif there is a problem with the pump they will replace it for free
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MB: E55 AMG, CL550, E3004M Cab + other makes :)
Extended warranty on fuel pump and associated issues. Before I bought my E55 this summer, the dealer had replaced I believe the pump, tank, filter, etc under the extended warranty.
#25
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fuel filter top removal
In these photos, 3 dots locked position, 5 dots unlocked position. I had to put the body in a vise and use a large strap wrench to rotate the upper portion. Be sure to depress the locking tab when starting to unlock; it will lock automatically when tightened. It took a bit of effort to rotate to the unlock position plus wiggling the top loose due to the rubber o-ring inside. You may want to apply some sort of lubricant when reassembling. Be advised Creative Steel advertises their filter as more efficient at capturing particles so it may need to be replaced prior to the factory-recommended 60,000 miles.
Last edited by bbirdwell; 11-17-2019 at 03:53 PM.
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